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Original poster

Sleep consultant recommendations

34 replies

nello · 27/08/2014 07:17

Please! Thanks

OP posts:
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shivs1974 · 27/08/2014 07:18

Andrea Grace worked for me. Best money I have spent.

Proudmummy2014 · 27/08/2014 08:40

@shivs1974- how old was your baby when you got Andrea to help you? My baby is 4 months old and I think I definitly need some help with getting my LO to learn how to self settle. As soon as I put her down she screams. Tried co-sleeping which also does not work as she cries if she is not in my arms.

shivs1974 · 27/08/2014 11:00

DD2 was 17 mths old....I left it VERY late! She has some useful videos on her website - have a look at those. If I recall - it was 6 yrs ago - she has something like 5 children herself. She was just amazingly patient. I had twice weekly calls with her for a month - so I knew I had to get it sorted in that time. Wish I'd phoned her earlier as sleep deprivation is horrendous.

Proudmummy2014 · 27/08/2014 14:56

I looked at her site and noticed that she doesn't do home visits? Did you still find it effective and easy to implement her plan without her watching you? I've tried pick up put down but don't know if I'm doing it right or I give up too quickly maybe too as I don't know when her crying will end :-S

Proudmummy2014 · 27/08/2014 16:43

Also wondering whether this will be worth getting for a 4 month old? I'm assuming it would be as the quicker she learns to self settle the better surely?

shivs1974 · 27/08/2014 18:00

I did it without any home visits. I wish I'd done it earlier. With my eldest I'd been stricter and she had learnt to self settle at around 6-8 weeks. My youngest, well I was allow her to fall asleep when feeding so she'd wake up in a strange place and then she'd wake.

Have you tried any of the videos on her website?

MsSampson · 27/08/2014 18:25

I would second the recommendation, thought she was great. Went when DO was seven months I think? For us it was about giving up night feeds, but she wouldn't recommend that before 6 months I don't think. But the phone consultations were the crucial thing for me really. Anyway, DD has slept reliably through the night (apart from odd lapse through illness or something) ever since. She was waking up about 14 times a night before we went and I was losing my mind. Probably the best money I ever spent.

emeraldgirl1 · 27/08/2014 18:52

Ann Caird is v popular on here (so much so that I think unfortunately she may now not be taking on any new parents but that could be very out of date info!!) and she was absolutely amazing for us, used her v gentle methods when DD was about 10m and still waking 3+ times a night and now at 17m she sleeps through and has done for a good 3 or 4 months now. We STILL can't crack the early wake-up but that's not Ann's fault it's my tricksy baby :)

emeraldgirl1 · 27/08/2014 18:52

Oh and I would add it's also the best money I ever spent...

Proudmummy2014 · 27/08/2014 20:07

Wow I think I will definitely look in to both of those recommendations. Do you ladies think it's worth it for a 4 month old? I'm just worried it won't work as she just cries sooooo much when I leave the room 90% of the time, and the other 10% she self settles after a little crying. Just cannot seem to crack it with her consistently self settling.

emeraldgirl1 · 27/08/2014 20:27

In all honesty I do think 4m is young, I think some sleep consultants don't work with any babies under 6m but I could be wrong... Fwiw I think a baby who can truly self settle at 4m is rare (and I wish i had accepted this before I spent months worrying about how to get my teeny tiny baby to self settle!!)
I know it's awful, believe me!! But 4m is traditionally a very trying time for sleep so it may be worth trying to tough it out a bit longer and see if things improve on their own... I am so sorry as I know that doesn't sound very helpful (and I would have cried if someone had told me that when I was going through thd endless sleepless nights...) !!!!

Proudmummy2014 · 27/08/2014 20:48

I'm just so worried that if she doesn't learn now and I continue to let her fall asleep in my arms then I'm solidifying her bad sleep habits and it will be hard to change this later?!

keepitgoing · 27/08/2014 21:15

hi proud. I used nicola watson, also fabulous. I'd say don't worry too much about solidifying habits if it gets everyone more sleep for now - mine was a boob to sleep fiend but we cracked it fairly quickly and habits can always be changed. surprisingly quickly in babies it seems

Artandco · 27/08/2014 21:19

Try simply Sleeptime. However I would say most sleep consultants wouldn't give usual full consult for baby under 6 months, so maybe leave a few more weeks?

Proudmummy2014 · 27/08/2014 21:36

Do you all think it's best to carry on with what I'm doing until another 2 months? She screams as soon as I put her down then stops when I hold her. This is even after she's fallen asleep in my arms she still cries after being put down! I just feel as though I'm not enjoying my time with her and treasuring this precious time as I'm constantly obsessing over her naps (which last 30 mins max) and bedtime sleep (lots of crying) and her ability to self settle in the night (end up waking up 5 times atleast)

Proudmummy2014 · 27/08/2014 21:37

Also she is just so cranky and looks tired in the day constantly yawning and rubbing her eyes- she's clearly just not getting adequate/good quality sleep

MsSampson · 27/08/2014 21:52

proudmummy, I think I might be with emerald girl on waiting a bit, although I totally understand where you're coming from. Might be worth checking Andrea graces website (or the others mentioned) to see what they say about under 6 months? There are definitely things you can do that aren't "cry it out" sleep training though - have you read No Cry Sleep Solution? And I wouldn't worry too much about doing anything at 4 months that will be set in stone, they are so changeable at that age anyway. Good luck!

Artandco · 27/08/2014 21:59

I think you can try sleep consultant now if you want, but you just may feel better results from money from 6months as some suggestions and things like no feeding overnight etc most won't suggest under that age, so slower results. If that makes sense

I think Simply Sleeptime do offer a sleep package for under 6 months which is probably more encouraging good habits rather than full on consult which might be what your looking for, but you would need to call/ email to find out details or look online I presume

WastingMyYoungYears · 27/08/2014 22:06

Another recommendation for Andrea Grace Smile. 4 months is probably too young, but maybe you could ask about this by phone or email?

Proudmummy2014 · 27/08/2014 22:15

I've just emailed Andrea now but will also look in to Simply Sleeptime. I guess I would rather get more help for my money at the 6 month time. Thanks ladies I think I'm getting carried away with the frustration. I've literally had a great bedtime routine from day 1- I think she just wants to be close to me. Will try continuing to put her down drowsy but awake and see of over time it makes a difference. Fingers crossed :-)

shivs1974 · 27/08/2014 22:25

Good luck!

lucidlady · 27/08/2014 22:26

We used Andrea too - DD was 9 months. She's ace. She has also written a book which was really helpful. Can't remember what it's called but amazon should have it.

emeraldgirl1 · 27/08/2014 22:40

Proud mummy I couldn't agree more about not worrying too much about bad habits even though I was 100% the same as you and I was constantly worrying about that awful saying 'making a rod for your own back'...

I've honestly found that any 'bad habits' DD had picked up with sleeping issues (and she had plenty of bad habits, believe me!) have all been astonishingly easy to crack with the right techniques at the right time. I cuddled DD to sleep for 11 months and within 4 weeks of starting sleep work she was going to sleep every night on her own- happily... I was paranoid about co sleeping being a bad habit (but it was literally the only way she would keep after her 11pm wake up every night) but we stopped that (again happily) after about 6-8 weeks of starting sleep work and now she only comes into bed with me if she's ill or teething or I fancy a cuddle because I actually miss it

She was a dire napper and like your LO only napped for thirty mins a time but actually that just improved with age, I think 7 months ish she just suddenly got better at it and went for mammoth sleeps mid day all of a sudden (I think that is quite common?) so that improved on its own anyway (though again I do know how wretched it is to have someone say that when you're desperate!!)

No cry sleep solution is really worth a read I think, some good tips even if (like me) you are just way too tired and demoralised to start the actual programme she suggests.

Good luck though OP I honestly am sure you will see a huge improvement with just a bit more time and maybe some help when you feel it will benefit you best.

Xx

Serendipity71 · 27/08/2014 22:50

We used Sian at www.sleepbabies.co.uk, wonderful, gentle and supportive. She did a home visit for us and that suited me, best money I have spent. Sleep deprivation was hideous... good Luck

Proudmummy2014 · 27/08/2014 22:52

Wow thanks that really does make me feel a little better about things. I guess it's just the constant conversations people have where the focus is on sleep it just makes you obsessed with it. Also I guess when I see my DD cranky all day it makes me desperate to try and do something. After reading your posts it does give me hope :-) If things don't improve then will defo be contacting those recommendations mentioned!